The present invention relates to communications systems and specifically to a communications system that utilizes transceivers as elements in an antenna network array.
DARPA has expressed interest in mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET). A more specific area of interest is a directional MANET that makes use of directional antennas in a network. There is a DARPA challenge related to a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) directional MANET that will afford the war fighter better communication in specific operational scenarios as well as providing a means of cooperative weapon processing through wireless data links.
Directional networks offer significant advantages over non-directional networks. These advantages include improved data rates, reduced observability, greater spectral reuse, and better immunity to intentional and unintentional interference. Directional networks also offer operational capabilities that include scalability and re-configurability to adapt to changing wireless link quality and implementation platforms. Today, however, transceivers used in directional networks are frequently limited in size. The transceivers also often require side information on participant location, due to the difficulty of locating and tracking network participants for example through a narrow aperture. As a result, adding to the number of network users comes with additional cost. Implementing direction finding through sensor arrays with narrow beams requires a significantly large number of sensors and the associated transceiver hardware, which is not physically practical for general MANET applications such as a network of soldier hand-held units.
What is needed is a practical solution for a directional networked array utilizing individual node transceivers to form a networked sensor array supported by signal processing and a data link.